Myanmar Yang Tse Copper Mining - MYTCL

Ywatha&NgarthezsuVillages

Daw Htwe Htwe Mar is 38 years old and has managed the only crop benefit project in history for MYTCL.

“ I have been with MYTCL since the beginning of the CSD Team programme and I have seen how we have built strong relationships with our communities…”

There are approximately 852 persons living in these 2 villages that have merged together in their development, yet remained distinct in their governance. 77 persons are employed at Yang Tse, composing 9.04% of the village’s total population working within the mining organisation. There are in fact so many men from this village working at the mine, that there are no longer any eligible unemployed men from within the village to gain employment with MYTCL.

“ The Crop Benefit Programme was a great success, although it took some time to accomplish due to so many differences of opinions. But one day it all just happened and MYTCL management did a great job at completing the project as quickly as possible to make everyone happy and close the grievance. It is my hope that MYTCL will be able to expand the CSR Projects to include SMEs into the future. I think this will be a greater benefit for my village as many are dependent on the sensitive and unpredictable market of the Betel Plant.”

Near Ywatha Village, ladies can be seen harvesting crops in the early mornings.

There is 1 Primary School; the village supports electricity; and there is a tube well for water provided by MEHL and MYTCL.

The village manages 1 Monastery named Chantharaye, which was previously rebuilt and moved by the MICCL Company that ran the mine in 1994-2011.

The Head Monk of this village is U Pyinnyaneda.

The elected Village Administrator is U Khin Maung Win.

Corporate Social Responsibility

The S&K Project is composed of 2 Primary Ore deposits, Sabetaung and Kyisintaung. When the rapid stripping of the top of the Kyisintaung Mountain commenced in 2012 there were complaints from the Betel Leaf Farmers of the areas regarding impact of dust to their sensitive Betel Leaf plantations. Although the dust was carefully monitored and measured by the MYTCL QHSE Department, and the dust settlement was found to be well below the World Bank Standard for ambient air controls, the leafs were claimed to be impacted by the farmers. The Ministry of Agriculture was invited by the CSD Team of MYTCL to come and investigate as a 3rd party to assist in the mitigation of the complaints and to offer guidance to the MYTCL and Stakeholders. The Ministry discovered that there was no direct or indirect impact and that MYTCL should consider providing the farmers with some sort of assistance to assist in their cultivation and their crop performance due to disease and ground conditions.

A Crop Assistance was granted by the General Manager of MYTCL and managed through the Operations Manager and the CSD Team. 52 kyat per plant were donated to the villages all surrounding the site with Betel Plantations.

Ywatha and Ngarthezsu refused this charitable donation and continued their efforts to consult with MYTCL regarding possible impacts to their plantations directly situated next to the mine. All other village crops are not within close proximity of the Kyisintaung development.

Crossing the Yama Stream is a daily ritual for farmers on their way to their fields. In 2015 discussions continued. A direct focus on the dust migration from the mine during blasting, as well as the settlement of the dust produced by the mine was examined with the villagers and its representatives during the March and April months. It is at this time that the wind blows directly to the north, drifting to the north-east as the winds swirl around the mountains, and finally through these farm locations.

Ambient air results of PM 10 were recorded and shared with the villagers and the farmers. Results were consistently below the WB Standards, however did experience peaks of up to 10 minutes where the dust measurements spiked above.

MYTCL General Manager and Environment Manager went into extended talks with the farmers and proposed a bilateral agreement that would assist the farmers and ease their concerns for losses claimed due to dust. An area was identified as The Zone of Sensitivity, and a cash assisted settlement per plant was agreed upon within this area. The area itself engulfed most of the Ywatha and Ngarthezsu farmers. Varying from 210 to 260 kyat per plant that would take into considerations the years from 2012-15, agreements were reached and all farmers within this area agreed with gratitude to accept a crop assistance package to aide in building better structures for protecting their crops from dust into the future. All farms were included, even those who had accepted the 52k/plant crop benefit in 2012. Adjustments were made to ensure fair and consistent benefits.

In 2015-16 the budget for the Ywatha Village was established at $18,625.43 USD to include electricity extensions and road repair works. For Ngarthezsu the donations were combined as the roads and facilities are shared. In 2016-17 the budget nearly doubled at $34,601 to accommodate the request for the village’s primary project of a school extension.